Volcanic CO₂ degassing postdates thermogenic carbon emission during the end-Permian mass extinction.

ABSTRACT: Massive carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions are widely assumed to be the driver of the end-Permian mass extinction (EPME). However, the rate of and total CO₂ released, and whether the source changes with time, remain poorly understood, leaving a key question surrounding the trigger for the EPME unanswered. Here, we assimilate reconstructions of atmospheric Pco₂ and carbonate δ¹³C in an Earth system model to unravel the history of carbon emissions and sources across the EPME. We infer a transition from a CO₂ source with a thermogenic carbon isotopic signature associated with a slower emission rate to a heavier, more mantle-dominated volcanic source with an increased rate of emissions. This implies that the CO₂ degassing sty

SUBMITTER: Wu Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9931219 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature